Category: God in the world

God Made our Minds to Shine: ‘SHTH, to be Able to Contemplate Him

The very rare and phenomenal properties that make our earth habitable by us (complex life), are also the very things that make us able to contemplate our universe and look into our past; essentially contemplate our Maker.  In other words, we could just exist, but we happen to exist alongside the ability to know Him, and quest for Him, our Creator.

Gabriel’s Revelation

Gabriel’s Revelation, also called Hazon Gabriel (the Vision of Gabriel)[1] or the Jeselsohn Stone,[2] is a three-foot-tall (one metre) stone tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew text written in ink, containing a collection of short prophecies written in the first person and dated to the late 1st century BCE.[3][4] One of the stories allegedly tells of a man who was killed by the Romans and resurrected in three days. It is a tablet described as a “Dead Sea scroll in stone” ~Wiki

I believe Jesus Christ lived with the Essenes at Qumran for at least a while.  I believe it is where He predominantly learned, and came into His divinity.  Just because the concept of a suffering Messiah was around just before the time of His birth does not mean His life was any less divine.  The proof was in the pudding, and Jesus essentially said that Himself.  Told from birth He was the likely Messiah, and knowing the concept of a suffering Messiah still meant that He had to grow and learn, perform miracles, heal, be perfect, and come into His divinity as God willed that process to occur, and in God’s time, finally culminating in His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension at the age of ~33.

https://archive.org/details/Aabbey1-IsraelKnohlMessiahsAndResurrectionInTheGabrielRevelation484

Prayer for the Power to Heal

Now, Lord, grant to Your servants that with all boldness we may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant, Jesus.  ~Acts 4: 29-30

Discipleship Rather than Evangelism by Lady of the Covenant (Christian Forum)

Taken from a post by Lady of the Covenant at Christian Forum:

Although, I agree that evangelism is apart of the great commission, it is not the actual great commission. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”(Matthew 28:19-20)

I can’t speak for all of the Church, but most of the Church does not do this. To be a disciple means that you are like someone who is an apprentice, learning to do the things that your teacher does. Joshua learned to be a great leader like Moses, so he could take over when Moses was no longer with Israel. Elisha followed closely in the footsteps of Elijah, observing all that he did, so he would know how to do the things that Elijah did when he was no longer with him; and the 12 disciples followed Jesus everywhere He went, learning to do the things he did, and walk in his ways, so they could teach and do the things of Christ when He was no longer with them.

This is what it means to be a Christian; it comes from two Greek words:

  1. Christ- meaning “anointed one”
  2. -ianos- a suffix meaning “little”

The first disciples were called “Christians” by the Greeks because they looked like, acted like, and did the things that Christ did after He left. They were being called, “Little Anointed Ones” because people saw no difference in what they were doing, and how they lived, than the things Christ did and how He lived. Not only were they healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, and preaching the gospel, but they were as loving and compassionate as Christ was as well, and they taught their disciples to do the same.

In church people are not really doing discipleship. They are evangelized and converted, then sit in a pew, listening to the pastor preach once a week. Most Christians do not read the Bible, or pray, or have any real connection to Jesus if they are not in a church. They recite a sinner’s prayer, and are assured of their salvation, knowing nothing about the gospel, other than what they may occasionally hear preached on Sunday, and that is not discipleship.

We are supposed to walk in the ways of Jesus doing what He did, and teach others to do the same. We are supposed to teach other people to obey everything He commanded us, but we do not. To be a disciple means to be in relationship. Moses and Joshua spent time together, Elijah and Elisha spent time together, and almost everywhere Jesus went, He took Peter, James, and John with Him. He was close to all His disciples, and spent time with them individually or in small groups, teaching them; so we should know that this is our pattern for how to make disciples as Jesus instructed.

Even the commission of the 72 disciples shows us that one-on-one discipleship/evangelism is preferred. Jesus sent two disciples to each house to preach the gospel to whoever would accept them, and He told them to stay the night at the house they went to rather than going from house-to-house:

“And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.“(Luke 10:7)​

So this is my proposal to the Body of Christ, that we not only evangelize, but make disciples, and discipleship continues long after someone has accepted Christ. It is about teaching people to obey the commandments of Christ(not just the commandments to love God and our neighbor, even though that is the meaning of the Law), and that means that we need to learn the commandments and do them ourselves:

Here is a list of the New Testament Commandments

What are your thoughts and suggestions? How can we go about making disciples, rather than just adding numbers to the church?

~~~~~~~

I personally think we should be in fellowship. That every member of the church should be in groups of 3, holding accountable the people who are in their group. Not only that, but making sure they are talking and spending time together outside of church, getting to know each other, and making sure that they are all edifying the body with their gifts. I would also think it’s a good idea to do placement tests(Myers Briggs personality test, 5 love languages test, and spiritual gifts test) to see where everyone should end up. I also think that church should be more communal, and an everyday thing, rather than just Sunday (and maybe Wednesday). Preaching can still be on Sunday, and Bible Study/Prayer Meeting on Wednesday, but the rest of the week should be focused on community, discipleship, and outreach(witnessing, feeding the poor, healing the sick, casting out demons, etc.).

Judgment is…

Knowing someone sinned, but loving them perfectly anyway.

Ways to Increase Your Devotion to God

  • Fasting
  • Serving Penance
  • Denying pleasures of the flesh
  • Daily meditation
  • Daily obeisance
  • Bible study
  • Christian friends
  • Moving with His Spirit
  • Daily eucharist
  • Regular offerings
  • Wearing a cilice
  • Burying skeletons
  • Forgiving yourself and others

Ancient Stone Circles in Mideast Baffle Archaeologists

Image: Big Circle J1

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/weird-science/ancient-stone-circles-mideast-baffle-archaeologists-n238941

But they don’t baffle us.  Because we understand that the Israelite Nation worshiped Almighty ALHYM and held the circle as the sacred representation of Him, and His realm, as given to us by Him.

There are 11 circles.  I believe the missing one represents the coming Messiah.  Ancient man is showing God, and only God (because the circles are too large for man to regard easily), that we are eagerly awaiting our Messiah, our perfect Lamb to deliver us from our evil selves and inevitable death, unto everlasting salvation.

The circles all have a mean diameter of 400 meters, or 1300 feet, which correlates to 833.33 cubits.  I have to wonder if ancient man did not have a concept of the metric system before it came into being in modern times.  Circumference = 2 * pi * r, so this means each circle’s perimeter is around 2700 cubits, perhaps even intended to be 2720 cubits.  22/7 is pi so anytime we see these numerals being used, it is almost always a reference to circle, or the divine realm of God.  Interestingly, the inner area of each circle would be around 600,000 cubits.  6 is a number that means not quite finished yet.  7 means completion, and 8 means more than enough; ample.  Noah was in his 600th year of life when he was commissioned by God to make the divine life raft for all remaining life.  Man is still in his 6th day of creation, while God rests in His 7th day.

With 11 circles each measuring as a perfect circle for God (2720), and having an area representing almost-but-not-quite there yet (600.000) proportions, it is quite the calling card for Mighty ALHYM to see on His throne in Heaven.  The Hebrew Nation calling out to YHWH ALHYM, “We honor You and worship You.  We are not complete and we know it.  If we please You, Almighty LORD, please send Your Messiah to us.  We are waiting for Him.”

Perhaps it was His pleasure with this humble Israelite offering to their One God, which spurned Him to finally send the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Jesus is our Scapegoat and Passover Lamb

The Hebrew feasts that were commanded by God to be followed religiously in the Old Testament were, in this order:

  1. The Passover  (1st month, 14th day of the Hebrew year)
  2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread (1st month, 15th to the 22nd day)
  3. The Feast of Firstfruits (the first harvest, 3rd month, variable)
  4. The Feast of Weeks (7 Sabbaths after the firstfruits, or 50 days, also called pentecost)
  5. The Feast of Trumpets (7th month, 1st day)
  6. The Day of Atonement (7th month, 10th day)
  7. The Feast of Tabernacles (7th month, 15th through 22nd day)

Of these, the most important celebration, illustrated by the amount of offerings decreed, and holiness required, is the Day of Atonement, followed by the Feast of Tabernacles.

Notice all the 1’s, 3’s, 7’s, and 22’s in this calendar.  God’s Realm is a circle.  A circle of perfect Love.

The Day of Atonement was the only day the holiest Priest was allowed by God to go behind the veil to minister to Him.  And even then, the Priest had to make a huge cloud of incense to occlude the vision of the LORD so that he would not die by seeing the LORD above the mercy seat upon the Ark of the Covenant.  God disallowed the priests to go into the Holiest of Holies ‘at just any time’ after Aaron’s two sons sinned by making profane fire in the sanctuary.  So the only time Priests could go into this sacred place was once per year.  It was a very holy day and involved much cleansing and preparation for not only the Priest himself, but for the Tabernacle, the furnishings, and all the articles in the Holy Place.

The children of God would bring two kid goats to the Priest, and he would cast lots to see which one would be for the LORD, for the sin offering of the people; and which one would be the scapegoat, to be let go wild in the wilderness.  After making a cloud of incense behind the veil, lest he die seeing the LORD’s presence, the Priest would kill the LORD’s goat and offer its blood by sprinkling it upon and before the mercy seat of the LORD.  This would atone for the Holy Place for all the iniquities of the children of God.  Then the Priest would lay his hands on the scapegoat’s head and confess upon it all the transgressions and sins of all the children of God in all their iniquities they had done, and send it out into the wilderness, where it would bear unto itself all their iniquities, taking them away into a solitary land.

 

When the story of Jesus’ life is recounted in the Gospels, the first act of his adult life we are privy to is his baptism in the River Jordan by John the Baptist when the Holy Spirit alighted upon him, and spoke, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  Then he immediately was ‘led by the Spirit’ into the Wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  The devil tempted him three times, and Jesus stayed faithful and true to God and His word all three times, using the Law of God to thwart the devil every time.

We could have been apprised of Jesus’ life before this point, and it would have been intensely interesting.  The reason the Gospel starts here is to make it obvious to those with eyes to see that Jesus is beginning with the end of the Israelite’s holy calendar, in order to best symbolize that He was here to finish God’s work, once and for all.

Jesus going into the wilderness reminds us of the scapegoat upon which were placed the sins of God’s people, before he was sent into the wilderness on the Day of Atonement to provide forgiveness and redemption to all the children of God.  Jesus, having cleansed himself with baptism by God’s Prophet, and having been covered by the cloud of the Holy Spirit, went out into the wilderness as a man and defeated the devil by overcoming the sins that would normally plague man.  He begins his mission for God with the last feast of the Hebrew year, as if he is picking up and completing or finishing that which was incomplete before him.

Jesus was in the Wilderness 40 days and 40 nights.  He is not the 2nd Adam, but the 3rd Adam, Noah being the 2nd Adam.  Noah was perfect in God’s eyes and he alone, with his 3 sons, was chosen by God to perpetuate God’s people before the Great Deluge.  However, Noah sinned.  Jesus came and succeeded, not only as Adam, but as the embodiment of God on earth, as the literal Son of God.

God has now divinely established Jesus as the perfect combination of man and God on earth, because Jesus defeats the devil time and time again, and overcomes sin; always while giving attribution to the Father.  Jesus shows us how we are supposed to live and to love in the way God intended.  Sometimes he fixes the law where it was incorrectly related, and sometimes he gives us new Law.  As his work becomes completed on earth, the time for his final and most perfect and holy sacrifice draws near.  This final act is to offer himself as the sacrificial lamb so that all who protect their life with his blood may have the curse of death pass them over; as happened in the days when our people were slaves in Egypt, just before they were set free.

 

But the man who… ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the Lord at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin.  ~Numbers 9:13

 

This final act of Jesus sets us free of not only our captivity, but from death, if we but paint His blood upon our life.  By making atonement for us with His perfect life, and allowing death to pass over us with His perfect blood, Jesus completed God’s will, drawing us into God’s divine circle once and for all.

 

Thank you, Jesus, for your Divine and Unique and Holy sacrifice for us~

As Numerous as the Sand on the Seashore…

After Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah, God blessed him and said because Abraham had offered his only son as a sacrifice to God, Abraham’s offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.

 

I traveled home to Texas this past summer and we went to Galveston to swim in the surf and walk along the beach.  However, we were never able to even get down on the beach at any place because seaweed had washed on shore along the entire coast, and the rotting piles of it created a stench that made the eyes water, and also created an unhealthy sulfuric haze in the air.

 

I found in the news that not only the Gulf Coast was affected, but the Atlantic coast, and English coastline as well:  all were covered in rotting seaweed, with little sign of sand anywhere.

 

It occurred to me that this might be a sign from God that He is not going to multiply His people anymore, or a bold attempt by the enemy to blot out God’s promise to our Patriarchs that His Chosen Ones will be as numerous as the sand on the seashore.  Since this event is unprecendented in our recorded history, there is no doubt in my mind it is a spiritual omen of the possibility that man might be on the way out…

 

To correlate with this, as a midwife I have noticed a distinct and fairly recent increase in the  number of women having problems in labor and delivery.  The cesarean section rate is climbing rapidly, and this cannot always be attributed to aggressive management and unnecessary surgery.  Indeed, many more women and babies would be dying without surgical intervention and the reason is not easily discernible.  Infertility is not uncommon as well.

 

Add to this signs similar to the plagues of Egypt, like water turning to ‘blood’ in China, and diseased livestock with mad cow; along with the wars in the middle east where Muslims are killing Christians and Jews, and it does not bode well for humanity.

 

Perhaps obliterating the sand is just the first sign.  Maybe He will blot out the stars, and cover the dust of the earth as well, rendering life hopeless.

~~~~~~~

To Abram:  ~Genesis 15:5~ And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

To Abraham:  ~Genesis 22:17~ That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

To Isaac:  ~Genesis 26:4~ And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

To Jacob:  ~Genesis 28:14~ And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.